LTD donation gives Diesel Tech students hands-on experience

ASLCC President Paul Zito boards the new Lane Community College bus, Feb. 5 during its debut in front of Building 1.Photo: Laura Newman

ASLCC President Paul Zito boards the new Lane Community College bus, Feb. 5 during its debut in front of Building 1.Photo: Laura Newman

The newly branded bus donated by Lane Transit District rolled out in front of Building 1 Feb. 5 for its official unveiling. Ty Voltage was dancing next to his picture on the back of the bus, while members of Lane staff and the student government stood around it.

The bus was donated over a year ago to the Diesel Technology department as a training-aid.

“The diesel technology students do a variety of maintenance items to it. It has 725,000 miles on it,” Division Dean of Advanced Technology Patrick O’Connor said.

The 40 foot long 1994 Gillig Phantom Coach has had various work performed on it by Lane’s Diesel Technology students, including the hydraulics, brakes, drivetrain, fuel systems, shocks and more.

“That’s the prime reason for having this. Having it as a real, live, hands-on lab experiment experience. But also it has some secondary appeal as being kind of a good, positive visual to the public,” O’Connor said.

Diesel Technology Instructor Al Clark said that many of their students also worked at LTD, so the bus offered more precise vocational training to them. This is the second bus donated by LTD to Lane.

“Maybe eventually we’ll get one of the hybrids, that’d be nice,” Clark said

Lane marketing director Tracy Simms worked with the local Eugene companies Funk/Levis Associates and Haugen Advertising & Graphics to design and brand the donated bus.

Simms said the bus was not only a great opportunity for students’ education, but could be used as a recruitment tool that could be taken to various locations.

“This is a big billboard,” Clark said in agreement.

When asked about student involvement with the designing for the bus, Simms said she did use the design program on campus in the Spring, but as this all happened in Fall Term, she chose to hire a local
business.

“It was an opportunity that, had it been presented, would have been taken,” said Thomas Madison, a Graphic Design and Studio Arts Faculty member. “The school is very supportive of this (program). I think there was just a communication breakdown somewhere.”

Madison made it clear that though students were not
utilized for the design, there were no hard feelings.

“We didn’t know about it so we don’t feel jilted,” Madison said. “Things come our way all the time.”

We at The Torch believe in the power of information to change the world and our communities. Our student staff strive to uphold the ethics of journalism and produce engaging content. The Torch has an average circulation of over 2,000 print editions published weekly and content published online throughout the week.